Onions from seed.

[Chris Hulme]

Set some seeds away last Friday night, coming on nicely.

[mcdood]

Nice one Chris, I sowed around 50 on the 2nd and so far I can only see 4 seedlings, inherited seeds so not sure on the viability but looks like I'll get something anyway.

[Chris Hulme]

The red baron seeds I've had since 2016 and wasn't sure if they'd germinate. But they're looking ok. First time using the garland super 7 heated tray as well.

[4Shoes]

Just sown
Stuttgarter Giant and Red Brunswick.


The Ailsacraig germinated in 5 days and ae now looking similar to Chris Hume's Red Onion


Learned a wee tip for sowing seeds. Use a wet tip to lift single seed and place where needed.

I used a wee flat blade screwdriver o place and then firm down.

[Birdie Wife]

I'm trying onions from seed for the first time this year, after seeing some beautiful specimens on the isle of Barra and asking how they did it. I'll be sowing next weekend (I'm following the biodynamic calendar). Any more great tips?

[Aberdeenplotter]

yup. Read this thread all the way through. Apologies for the lack of photographs. There was an IT calamity

[4Shoes]

Just sown North Holland Blood and Zebrune Shallots.

The Ailsa Craig just coming out of Loop. Many seem to be growing out of the compost on extended white roots. Had been hopping to leave them in this tray until next month, but now going to have to prick them out. Seems seed case too heave to lift and root growing out of soil. Is this because not enough soil on seeds or do onions just do this to annoy us?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Don't know about the seedcase being too heavy to lift but I do know that when I've covered the seed with fine vermiculite which is very light that I've had similar problems. I now sow under approx ¼" of compost.

[4Shoes]

Don't know about the seedcase being too heavy to lift but I do know that when I've covered the seed with fine vermiculite which is very light that I've had similar problems. I now sow under approx ¼" of compost.

Agree, I do need more compost. Picked out onions today and about half of them were not rooted into the soil - Just lying on top. Popped them so will see what happens

[muck lover]

It’s hard to believe these wee grassy things could ever grow an onion....
Should I prick them out now they’ve straightened up?

[burnie]

My onion seeds were planted one seed per cell in one of those 15 cell trays, I then potted them on into the large skyr yoghurt pots. I have just put them in their pots into the mini greenhouse blowaway inside my green house. I shall only need 10 or 12 of these as hopefully each onion will be over 3 pounds in weight, I have had the white ones grow to over 5 pounds in weight in the past(I also have some over wintering sets growing outside in the soil).

[Selymbria]

My onion seeds were planted one seed per cell in one of those 15 cell trays, I then potted them on into the large skyr yoghurt pots. I have just put them in their pots into the mini greenhouse blowaway inside my green house. I shall only need 10 or 12 of these as hopefully each onion will be over 3 pounds in weight, I have had the white ones grow to over 5 pounds in weight in the past(I also have some over wintering sets growing outside in the soil).

How tall are they? It will be great to see a picture so that a first time grower from seed like me can compare. I've sawn my sturon onions about 4 weeks ago and they are 8inch tall

[burnie]

This was when they were growing in the propagator, because they are sown singly in a large(ish) cell with multi purpose compost with feed in it as apposed to seed compost, I can delay potting on until a more mature plant with better roots are produced. When I pot on, you pop the whole cell out minimizing any root disturbance, I have not photographed them after potting on, I will do that tomorrow if I remember, so at a guess I would say I have onions from seed to 6 inches in around 9 weeks. The pots are now inside a small growhouse inside my unheated greenhouse, they will not need re-potting now and will go outside in around 4 or 5 weeks time if the weather is right. The beds have been manured a few months back, I will probably add some fish,blood and bone into the bed a couple of weeks before planting, if all goes well I should get some Mammoth red onions that according the sales blurb should exceed 3 pounds in weight for each Onion. Now I don't grow for a show date, so I may well be a few weeks behind some show growers, the bed will be 6 foot by 3 foot and will have 8 or 10 Onions in it.

[burnie]

The Onions are coming along nicely in their re cycled yoghurt pots, they will be going into the raised beds later this week weather permitting. The Leeks are a few weeks behind at the top of the picture and the radishes on the left won't be too far away. The Lettuce are cut and come again that will stay in the greenhouse.

[burnie]

An update on the Onions and leeks in one of the raised beds


Peas at the bottom, then some radishes and the Mammoth Red Onions, more radish and Leeks at the far end. There's some Pak Choi sown in the gap along with some spring onions as well.